Africa’s premier youth business award finalists named

By TINTSWALO BALOYIJOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOME 15 youths have emerged as finalists for the seventh annual Anzisha Prize, Africa’s premier award for her youngest entrepreneurs.
Drawn from 14 countries, the have been chosen from a field of more than 800 applicants.
They are aged between 15 and 22.
“We are excited by the number of young women finalists and thrilled that the prize is contributing to their economic empowerment,” Anzisha Prize Associate, Melissa Mbazo, said.
“The success of these women-led businesses will be accelerated by access to Anzisha’s financial and mentorship support.”
Supported by African Leadership Academy (ALA) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the Anzisha Prize celebrates and cultivates the next generation of young African entrepreneurial leaders who are creating job opportunities, solving local development problems and driving economies.
For the first time, candidates from Angola, Liberia, Mauritius, and Sudan entered the competition.
Finalists will soon be in Johannesburg, South Africa to attend a ten-day entrepreneurial leadership boot camp where they will be coached on how to pitch their business to a panel of judges for a share of US$100,000 worth of prizes and support.
The grand prize winner will receive US$25 000, while the runners-up and third place winners will receive US$15 000 and US$12 500, respectively.
– CAJ News